Getting used to new habits for Coronavirus....

[Hornet3d]

There seems to be a trend with people thinking violence and damaging property will drive change. Not recalling the exact numbers now, but a survey showed a significant increase in people thinking this process works. So, sad.

A lot of people are worried about Jan 6 'anniversary' of last years attack on our Capital Building because of the trend. i won't get into the political stuff here. But I don't plan to head downtown this week.

Some of the protest groups do not seem to make sense, we have a group here in the UK who are campaigning for insulation in all homes to be of a minimum standard thus cutting down on the wasted power heating poorly insulated homes. Trouble is their latest tactic is to block main motorways causing three or four lane traffic jams tailing back miles. Many cars leave their engines running, particularly if it is cold, and those that have sufficient warning bypass the jams by taken longer routes. The end result is the protesters are increasing petrol and diesel consumption and increasing exhaust fumes, somehow the logic is lost on me.

 

[KageRyu]

I feel your pain Hornet3d. I have long given up trying to understand human nature at large and simply realize I will just never fit in or understand the mass public. All it really takes to make the world a better place is for each person to think "How would I feel if what I am doing/about to do was done to me" and to ask "How does what I am doing/about to do affect others at large"

 

[eclark1894]

Some of the protest groups do not seem to make sense, we have a group here in the UK who are campaigning for insulation in all homes to be of a minimum standard thus cutting down on the wasted power heating poorly insulated homes. Trouble is their latest tactic is to block main motorways causing three or four lane traffic jams tailing back miles. Many cars leave their engines running, particularly if it is cold, and those that have sufficient warning bypass the jams by taken longer routes. The end result is the protesters are increasing petrol and diesel consumption and increasing exhaust fumes, somehow the logic is lost on me.

Most protest groups are out to grab headlines. They get more points for the attention they generate to than for the actual good that they do. In fact, they could make an issue worse and still be lauded. Of course, it depends on who's lauding them.

 

[Hornet3d]

Most protest groups are out to grab headlines. They get more points for the attention they generate to than for the actual good that they do. In fact, they could make an issue worse and still be lauded. Of course, it depends on who's lauding them.

You are right of course but it seems so pointless.

 

[3WC]

All it really takes to make the world a better place is for each person to think "How would I feel if what I am doing/about to do was done to me" and to ask "How does what I am doing/about to do affect others at large"

Hey that's great! We should make that like, the "Golden Rule", or something!

 

[eclark1894]

Hey that's great! We should make that like, the "Golden Rule", or something!

Sounds nice, but in practice, most people tend to think only about themselves or others that are closest to them. Sometimes, and I stress, sometimes, it's all about the personal sacrifice.

 

[Hornet3d]

Well the start of 2022 is going well with a number of our hospitals in the UK declaring 'Critical Incident' which is normally invoked when an event that has a stressful impact sufficient enough to overwhelm usual coping strategies takes place. The reason for this is clearly covid but there is a dual impact here in that covid admissions are adding to the normal admissions for this time of year but it also that many hospitals are running with around 10% of their staff are not available to work as they are isolating after testing positive to covid. There is also a shortage of ambulances again due to staff shortages and that fact that many are taking longer to admit patients at Accident and Emergency and are forming queues at hospitals. Some regions have reported that people requiring an ambulance have been asked if they could find alternative transport such as a taxi / neighbour. friend to drive them. At this point we have yet to see what the impact of people mixing at New Year to covid numbers but you do not have to look very far to find some experts that are predicting doom scenarios. The sad fact is this will cost lives and those waiting for hip and knee replacements are going to wait longer for a solution and have to deal with the pain a lot longer than normal.

 

[Terre]

I feel your pain Hornet3d. I have long given up trying to understand human nature at large and simply realize I will just never fit in or understand the mass public. All it really takes to make the world a better place is for each person to think "How would I feel if what I am doing/about to do was done to me" and to ask "How does what I am doing/about to do affect others at large"

Well put.

 

[Hornet3d]

Well put.

Agreed.

 

[Hornet3d]

I feel your pain Hornet3d. I have long given up trying to understand human nature at large and simply realize I will just never fit in or understand the mass public. All it really takes to make the world a better place is for each person to think "How would I feel if what I am doing/about to do was done to me" and to ask "How does what I am doing/about to do affect others at large"

We used to have a game show in the UK where a family team had the guess what the general public most popular response to a question would be and was awarded points accordingly. So for me the main point of the game was to try and prove you thought just like everyone else and the winners were the ones that proved they were the most like clones of mainstream people. Just seemed to sum up a national aim to be uninspiring and unoriginal, which I guess is why we tend to reward failure in the UK.

 

[KageRyu]

... Just seemed to sum up a national aim to be uninspiring and unoriginal, which I guess is why we tend to reward failure in the UK.

I feel the same could be said for many parts of the U.S. When something is fresh an successful it is only a matter of eyeblinks until the market is flooded with clones and knock offs. The game show you describe makes me think of Family Feud, which requires families to try to guess the highest rated answers based on a 100 person survey. I could say so much more but do not want to derail the topic too heavily with politics, Though I do wish more people would accept the current crisis is not going to end until we all band together to help one another in some way.

I was very disturbed at the grocery store today when the customer ahead of me was buying test kits at $12 each and bragging about selling them online for twice that. Even though the store limitted purchases to 6 kits per customer, there were a number of other people in other lines all also buying 6 kits each and I cannot help but believe they were all part of this markup ring. I find it despicable they would use this crisis for profiteering in such a shameful way.

 

[Hornet3d]

I feel the same could be said for many parts of the U.S. When something is fresh an successful it is only a matter of eyeblinks until the market is flooded with clones and knock offs. The game show you describe makes me think of Family Feud, which requires families to try to guess the highest rated answers based on a 100 person survey. I could say so much more but do not want to derail the topic too heavily with politics, Though I do wish more people would accept the current crisis is not going to end until we all band together to help one another in some way.

I was very disturbed at the grocery store today when the customer ahead of me was buying test kits at $12 each and bragging about selling them online for twice that. Even though the store limitted purchases to 6 kits per customer, there were a number of other people in other lines all also buying 6 kits each and I cannot help but believe they were all part of this markup ring. I find it despicable they would use this crisis for profiteering in such a shameful way.

The game show you describe sound the same ours clearly had a different name.

I can understand you being disturbed about the profiteering. In June of 2017 many people died or were injured when a block of flats called Grenfell Tower caught fire and all were made homeless. The government stepped in with grants to help those in crisis but it later turned out that some who claimed the grant never lived in the Tower and had no justifiable reason to claim. Not only was it so totally wrong they were literally stealing from those who had suffered so horribly, it made me shudder to think that anyone could sink so low.

​

 

[parkdalegardener]

Hornet, it's the same here. Emergency services are redeploying in an effort to keep the system from collapse. Hospitals are closing down for most any service that is non-emergency. Schools are closed and most places shut down. This is the same everywhere in the country despite the fact that health care is delivered by the Provinces and the Federal Govt. must be hands off. They supply. The Province dispenses.

Kage, the Provincial Govts. here dispense rapid tests for free and anyone caught reselling them is screwed. You can order them from respectable sources for a price but they are scarce and expensive. That has lead to long lineups in the cold and snow for a chance to grab a free box of tests. 5 tests per box.

All this is fine and good if you are young and fit to stand in crappy weather for a few hours at a time. For us old folk it isn't happening. It wouldn't matter. As I type this I see on the am news that there will be a drive through at a local mall to obtain rapid tests. This is the largest city in the country and we have been trying to get people out of cars and into transit for years. This will help dispense test kits to the poor folk that have to work everyday how?

Doesn't matter. The Govt. tells us that if you feel you may need a test then assume you have COVID-19. If you feel unwell or have cold or flu like symptoms; you have COVID. If you know someone you does not feel top of the heap; you have COVID. In fact, no matter what you think about the current state of virus infections; you have COVID.

Our various Provinces have all decided to jump on to the American CDC concept that 5 days and you are good to go. No test required. Masks are optional. What kind of crap is that? Oh no; I feel a rant coming on. Better stop typing.

 

[parkdalegardener]

And it gets crazier. The news beside me tells me that most Provinces are no longer testing. Since they can't keep up with the PCR testing it appears that we are no longer testing in general. Again; just assume you have COVID and isolate for 5 days. Near as I can tell everyone has COVID in this country. To make matters more confusing I am hearing them talk of "Flurona" as a thing. Flu and Corona Virus at the same time and there is a new variant circulating in France and elsewhere. I give up. Listening to the news just brings my blood pressure up. Damn, elevated blood pressure. I must have COVID. Better isolate for 5 days.

 

[eclark1894]

Hornet, it's the same here. Emergency services are redeploying in an effort to keep the system from collapse. Hospitals are closing down for most any service that is non-emergency. Schools are closed and most places shut down. This is the same everywhere in the country despite the fact that health care is delivered by the Provinces and the Federal Govt. must be hands off. They supply. The Province dispenses.

Kage, the Provincial Govts. here dispense rapid tests for free and anyone caught reselling them is screwed. You can order them from respectable sources for a price but they are scarce and expensive. That has lead to long lineups in the cold and snow for a chance to grab a free box of tests. 5 tests per box.

All this is fine and good if you are young and fit to stand in crappy weather for a few hours at a time. For us old folk it isn't happening. It wouldn't matter. As I type this I see on the am news that there will be a drive through at a local mall to obtain rapid tests. This is the largest city in the country and we have been trying to get people out of cars and into transit for years. This will help dispense test kits to the poor folk that have to work everyday how?

Doesn't matter. The Govt. tells us that if you feel you may need a test then assume you have COVID-19. If you feel unwell or have cold or flu like symptoms; you have COVID. If you know someone you does not feel top of the heap; you have COVID. In fact, no matter what you think about the current state of virus infections; you have COVID.

Our various Provinces have all decided to jump on to the American CDC concept that 5 days and you are good to go. No test required. Masks are optional. What kind of crap is that? Oh no; I feel a rant coming on. Better stop typing.

Everyone is in panic mode. I blame it on the news and I'm not saying that to be partisan. It's the nature of the beast. A lot of people no longer use their common sense. They have it, but just no longer use it. They wait until they hear how the rest of the country is reacting on the news and then react according. Common sense would tell you that if you're not feeling well, assume you're ill, at least until you have more information.

 

[Hornet3d]

Everyone is in panic mode. I blame it on the news and I'm not saying that to be partisan. It's the nature of the beast. A lot of people no longer use their common sense. They have it, but just no longer use it. They wait until they hear how the rest of the country is reacting on the news and then react according. Common sense would tell you that if you're not feeling well, assume you're ill, at least until you have more information.

I think to a large degree I think you are right and people are panicking but I think for a lot of others have just withdrawn from the daily life they knew. Many are staying in as much as possible, some in almost total isolation or they mix with just a select few of their family and close friends. Of course it is the former that get all the news coverage which skews the picture to one of panic and lack of common sense.

 

[Terre]

Everyone is in panic mode. I blame it on the news and I'm not saying that to be partisan. It's the nature of the beast. A lot of people no longer use their common sense. They have it, but just no longer use it. They wait until they hear how the rest of the country is reacting on the news and then react according. Common sense would tell you that if you're not feeling well, assume you're ill, at least until you have more information.

Sadly common sense not being common seems to be getting even more true. Panicking doesn't help anyone but so many do it.

 

[Miss B]

I know what you mean. Being more cautious is one thing, but going into a state of panic is a whole 'nother ball game.

 

[unreal]

I worry if I have less than 10 things on my to do list, having a long list does not stop me curling up with a book when I am in the mood but I have to have something to keep me busy.

Yes, Excatly!

 

[unreal]

We have a Lurcher from the rescue centre who was actually used by poachers until they were caught by a farmer when they abandoned the dog and he is just the same as your beagle. Talking to other Lurcher owners they all Lurchers do that even those who have no hunting experience I guess it is inbred. Only real concern is making sure the prey is not the neighbour hood cat, lots of dog chase cats but many Lurchers are fast enough to catch them. Happily of us we are going into our eighth year being with him and other than chasing the odd stray cat over the garden fence there has been no issues.

I tell my dogs to leave the cats alone. Cats have knives. And they're not afraid to use them. They'll cut you just as soon as look at you.

My dogs are fascinated by cats. And cats are fascinated by them (little wolf-like things). My smallest actually behaves a lot like a cat. We call them "Klee Kats". In any case, I don't think the meeting will go well. The cats will quickly find out the dogs are dogs. And, regardless, cut them. Street cats don't survive by being cuddly.